PRESS RELEASE PRAGUE 5. 2. 2012 HERVIS PRAGUE HALF MARATHON BREAKS RECORDS EVEN BEFORE RACE START Prague/ Hervis Prague Half Marathon smashes further records. Today, exactly 53 days prior to the 14th ever race (31. 3), news has flooded in of a sell-out on all freely available start numbers, meaning depletion to race capacity. "I am pleased, and it just goes to show the superior quality of our work" said Carlo Capalbo, President of the organisation committee organising the Prague International Marathon. "Not only have we filled the pole positions so early on but also proven that we can attract a further two thousand runners compared to last year. It's a fantastic success story". The last numbers will be available at a one-off event taking place at a chosen Hervis store in Prague. "Once online registrations have been closed, it is still possible to sign up via our partner non-profit organisation and, as such, contribute to a good cause by running" adds Martina Kozáková from PIM. The Hervis Prague Half Marathon ranks among the world elite in running. Already for the third year now it has earned the Gold Label from the International Athletics Federation (IAAF), which only six half-marathons in the world can pride themselves on. Once again this year the event has attracted top Kenyan runners, at the helm of which is Philemon Limo along with Lydia Cheromei. Last year Limo became the first to run the half-marathon on Czech soil in under one hour. He will also be taking part in the first year of the RunCzech.com running series. The first ever half-marathon race took place back in 1999 in Stromovka Park with 950 runners participating. Two years later the start was moved to Charles Bridge. In 2006 the number of competing runners in the half-marathon (4207) surpassed the number of marathon runners for the first time ever in Prague. Over the course of four years the number of participants doubled. Last year the figure reached 9614 and the event was sold out for the first time in history. "We are coming close to reaching the maximum in terms of capacity and possibilities. After consulting with the police, magistrate and television, for safety reasons we know that a maximum of twelve thousand people can run the half- marathon in the centre of Prague" Capalbo says, knowingly. Prague International Marathon, spol. s r.o. tempo team prague, s.r.o. Záhořanského 3, 120 00 Praha 2, tel: +420 224 919 209 Záhořanského 3, 120 00 Praha 2, tel: +420 224 919 209 Email: [email protected], www.praguemarathon.com Email: [email protected], www.tempoteamprague.com Prague International Marathon spol. s r.o. / tempo team prague s.r.o. Tomáš Nohejl PR Manager Záhořanského 3, 120 00 Prague 2 tel: +420 224 919 209; fax: +420 224 923 355 email: [email protected] Notes for editors: Prague International Marathon spol. s r.o. Prague International Marathon spol. s r.o. (“PIM“) was set up in 1995 by Carlo Capalbo, President of the Company with the aim of organising a large-scale international marathon on the streets of Prague. A total of 958 runners made it to the start line of that first race. Since then PIM’s activities have burgeoned into a whole series of running events referred to as the PIM Running series. In 2011 over 60 000 competing runners from all over the world participated in races as part of the PIM Running Series. The Volkswagen Marathon ranks among the top 10 marathons in the world held in one of the most beautiful settings and becoming the 7 th fastest in the world in 2010 (with Eliud Kiptanui completing it in 2:05:39). As of 1999, PIM also organises the Hervis Prague Half Marathon along with races over shorter courses, the Mattoni Prague Grand Prix. Races organised by PIM are sponsored by some of the largest investors in the Czech Republic, Volkswagen, adidas, Hervis and Mattoni. The whole organisation and atmosphere of the races has drawn a crowd of resounding names in the athlete world to the Czech Republic (Haile Gebrselassie, Stefano Baldini, Paul Tergat, Moses Tanui and Antonio Pinto) not to mention thousands of visitors. PIM also stands as one of the few race organisers in the world to hold a collection of 3 IAAF awards: the IAAF Road Race Silver Label for the METRO 10km Race as well as the IAAF Road Race Gold Label for the Hervis Prague Half Marathon and the Volkswagen Prague Marathon. tempo team prague s.r.o. The term "tempo" is an acronym for "The European Marathon Promotion Organization", which focuses on developing marathon races along with other running events in Europe. The tempo team company was set up in 2000 by a group of experts and sporting enthusiasts. tempo team’s activities entail concept creation, brand building, marketing as well as the actual organisation of sporting events. Right from the start, tempo team has played a key role in organising the Prague Marathon as well as developing the PIM Running Circuit. For the purpose of holding the Volkswagen Olomouc Half Marathon, tempo put together a special team of experts furnished with fifteen years experience in the area of organising running events. The first ever Volkswagen Olomouc Half Marathon was held in 2010 and signified the first race the tempo team organised outside of Prague. In 2011 a further race was added to the series, the Volkswagen Ustí Half Marathon taking place last September. Prague International Marathon, spol. s r.o. tempo team prague, s.r.o. Záhořanského 3, 120 00 Praha 2, tel: +420 224 919 209 Záhořanského 3, 120 00 Praha 2, tel: +420 224 919 209 Email: [email protected], www.praguemarathon.com Email: [email protected], www.tempoteamprague.com.